Class of new Cancer drugs might cause memory loss

New findings from The Rockefeller University suggest that the original version of BET inhibitors causes molecular changes in mouse neurons, and can lead to memory loss in mice that receive it.
The findings will likely fuel more research into the brain effects of BET inhibitors, and could lead to the development of safer drugs that reduce the risk of potential side effects such as memory loss.  Many patients with hard-to-treat cancers have already received these experimental drugs. The Rockefeller scientists say their findings suggests more research is needed to determine whether the therapies can enter the brain, since that could potentially cause some unwanted side effects. "We found that if a drug blocks a BET protein throughout the body, and that drug can get into the brain, you could very well produce neurological side effects," says Korb. Allis, Korb and their colleagues decided to test BET inhibitors in the brain. BET proteins help regulate the process of transcribing genes into proteins, a key step in cell division. Since neurons divide less frequently than other cell types, scientists hadn't given much consideration to the role of BET proteins in the brain, says Korb.
During the study, the researchers used a compound that was designed to thwart the activity of a specific BET protein, called Brd4. They used the original version of the drug, called Jq1, says Korb, which they knew could cross the blood-brain barrier. The researchers took their findings one step further. If Jq1 reduces molecular activity in the brain, they asked, could it help in conditions marked by too much brain activity, such as epilepsy. "Extending the use of these drugs into non-cancer diseases, including neurological disorders, is a largely unexplored area with much potential." Allis adds.